Conservative Pulse

The Republican National Committee has launched an interactive website for members of the general public to offer input and suggestions to the RNC’s Platform committee in advance of the 2008 convention in Minneapolis.  Users can upload and discuss text or video submissions

I tried using the system, and while I think it’s a good tool for organizing it seems unlikely anything useful will come from the suggestions.  There are simply so many people posting ideas that it’s impossible to navigate through them and absorb the ones that might be worth considering. 

The submissions read mostly like message board posts to the party from angry activists. Here’s one example…

Grow a spine and stop apologizing for being conservative. Stop being afraid of attacking Obama on his record and on his “change” ideas. Read his web site and read Karl Marx and you will see a stunning similarity. Stop moving to the left. Our country needs to stay away from socialism. Be loud about being the opposite of socialist. We are looking for politicians and leaders who are real men and real women. Strong and unafraid of being called names. We want people who are not going to be swayed because someone doesn’t like them. We want people who are more interested in doing what’s right. We want people who will say this to the citizens of the U.S. Like I have always told my children; my job description as your parent does not include doing things so you’ll like me. It is my job to do what’s right by you.

There might be some validity to this, but it’s not a platform proposal or anything that the committee could take real action on.  It’s just someone who is upset with the general state of things.  The other half of the posts are people who supported Ron Paul’s presidential campaign and are submitting “legalize freedom” over and over again.  Here’s one of their better written submissions…

Protecting American values. You can start by leaving Americans alone. Decriminalize everything that doesn’t hurt anyone. Let people marry who they want to. While I am morally opposed to abortion, outlawing it will not stop it. Rather than having dead girls in back alleys I am willing to compromise and allow abortions. Euthanasia should be allowed for humans as well as pets. If it’s inhumane to let the dog suffer through cancer, how is it humane to let Gramma suffer through it? Religious groups should be allowed to practice however they want as long as no one gets hurt (polygamy). Stem cell research should be allowed through private facilities with no government subsidies.